Saviour
by luminarui
Summary: A new enemy appears, threatening the safety of all the villages. The young Kazekage is kidnapped, leaving behind a bewildered village. The leaf and the sand join forces to rescue him. SORRY I DELETED THIS, I WAS MAD AT MY SISTER. eventual OC x Gaara.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Lumi here. This is another story for my sister who is a huge Gaara fan (hey there sis!) who is too lazy to write her own fics. Plus she has no imagination (jk, jk). She wasn't satisfied with the one-shot I wrote; she said it was too short. So here I am, writing a story that is not a one-shot. Hopefully I'll actually stick to it this time...anyways, enjoy! xo - Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto. **

**Chapter 1**

The five dark figures huddled in a cloak of darkness. Their eyes glinted as they whispered to one another. The air was filled with a malignant aura choking with evil intent. The leader of the five entered the fog and clapped his hands once, signaling the beginning of their meeting. Immediately, the hushed voices died down as they awaited the words of their commander.

"It is time for our next move, my soldiers," the figure spoke, and its voice was like gravel grating together. "The ninja world is not yet aware of our existence, and they will not be until it is too late. To keep the upper hand, we must continue to move quickly." The group murmured their assent.

"We must stay vigilant. Remember our purpose."

"What is our next target, Master?" a voice hissed. The other figures nodded, listening eagerly for the answer.

The hooded one spoke. "Gaara, of the Hidden Sand."

"Kazekage-sama?" A timid voice belonging to a mousy man sounded out as he rapped once on the door. He straightened his weedy frame and adjusted his glasses. "I have some more paperwork. Nothing of urgency, but there is something curious in the news from our allies."

"Ah, thank you, Yuushi," Gaara said. He stretched out a hand to take the stack of papers. "Is there anything else?"

"No, Kazekage-sama. I will leave now." With those words, Yuushi disappeared. Gaara sighed. Being Kazekage was a big responsibility. He had taken the post knowing that, but the loneliness still echoed in his bones. He was so detached from everyone, nowadays. He rarely had time to speak with his siblings, especially now that Temari had moved Konoha. Maybe they had been right; maybe he was too young for this job. But he loved his village, and he would give his life to protect it. He knew that, at least. He flipped through the papers with a somber face, scanning for things of importance. Something caught his eye.

He took out a package of pages, reading them carefully. It was a message from the Hidden Grass Village. The words were grave and did little to brighten his mood. Underneath that was a message from the Hidden Rain Village. And another from the Hidden Leaf Village. The letters were far from cheery.

Interesting, he thought to himself. This could be trouble. I should discuss this with the elders. He rested his chin on one hand, thinking. This might lead to danger for all of our villages, or it could be mere coincidence. Nonetheless, we will take precautions. No one from our village has yet to be attacked, and I would like to keep it that way.

"I have called this meeting to discuss these messages sent from our allies," Gaara said plainly. He held out the sheaf of papers. The elders took some time to read the reports over.

"I don't see how this pertains to us," Elder Kushoko said. He set the report down. "These villages are our allies, yes, but these are _their_ problems. They did not ask for us to intervene, and they do not require our assistance."

"I second that," Elder Hisari declared. "We should stay out of this. There is no need for us to do anything."

Gaara frowned. "This isn't only about us helping them out. Although you shouldn't be so reluctant to lend a hand. Have you forgotten all that the Leaf has done for us?" He sighed. "But that is not the reason I called this meeting. I have a bad feeling about all this. These incidents are too close and too similar to not be connected."

"Surely you are overthinking this? Shinobi disappear all the time. Three ninjas does not signal a conspiracy."

"Perhaps, if they were normal ninjas. The ones that vanished were all jounin level." He gestured towards the papers spread on the table. "From the Grass: Keko Shunoji, 37 years old, male, jounin. From the Rain: Yusano Rushika, 29 years old, female, jounin. From the Leaf, Hyuuga Neji, 20 years old, male, jounin. Each one disappeared while on a solo mission. Searches were conducted, but no signs of a fight were found. What stands out is that each of these ninjas possesses a unique and powerful ability."

Kushoko stroked his beard. "Are you thinking that those ninjas have formed some kind of alliance and have become missing-nins?"

"That is one possibility. However, I doubt it."Gaara folded his hands. "I know Neji. He is not a ninja that would betray his village, no matter what circumstances. It is more likely that they were captured. And whoever captured them is strong, very strong."

"And you believe that our ninjas will be a target?"

"It is all too possible. Look at the facts; from our allies alone, three powerful shinobi have disappeared. We have no idea if the same thing is happening in other villages as well. I suspect that it is."

"And how would you know that?"

Gaara exhaled. "Call it intuition. I have a bad feeling about all of this. Anyhow, I don't want to lose anyone from this village. We will alert everyone about the possibility of a new enemy. I personally will brief all ninjas leaving this village for a mission."

The elders nodded. "Very well, Kazekage-sama."

Gaara stood up and shuffled the papers back into order. As the elders turned to leave, he spoke out. "One more thing. Tighten security around Suna and notify Baki." He thought for a moment. "Also, I will arrange for a meeting with the Leaf. That is all."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! Time for our OC to make her entrance! Don't worry, the plot is slow right now but it'll get moving...anyhow, enjoy, and please review! reviews=****3 = very happy Lumi = more chapters!**

**I don't own Naruto. **

**Chapter 2**

"Yumi onee-san! Look what I have!" Rokuro, a young student at the ninja academy rushed up to Yumi. His brown eyes danced excitedly as he proudly showed off what he held in his hand.

Yumi smiled. She gestured for him to come over to the dumpling shop. "Congratulations!" she exclaimed with a grin. "I knew you could do it. Come on, I'll treat you to some pork dumplings!" Rokuro smiled, showing the gap between his front teeth.

"All right!" the seven year old whooped. He dashed to Yumi's side. "Hey, can you tie this on for me?" He held out his new headband.

"Of course, my fellow ninja," Yumi replied. She knelt down and tied on his headband that marked him as a shinobi of the Sand. Rokuro stood proudly in front of her, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing the metal symbol with glee. "There," Yumi said with satisfaction. "Now you're a true shinobi of this village, Rokuro-kun."

The two of them gobbled up dumplings at their favorite shop with glee. When they finished, Rokuro seemed slightly worried. "What's up?" Yumi asked.

"Well, now that I'm a ninja, will I get to see you like this again, Onee-chan?"

"Of course. I'm always here for you, aren't I?" She patted his spiky purple hair gently. "Besides, you'll be plenty busy with missions and you'll be learning with your new sensei and teammates."

He beamed, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Hey, who is your sensei? I didn't have time to check."

"Oh, um, it's Kankuro-sensei. You know, the really cool puppet guy? He's the Kazekage's brother, right?" Ah, Kankuro, Yumi thought. He's arrogant at times, but he's a good teacher. Rokuro will do well under him.

Rokuro stood to leave, and adjusted his headband one more time. "I gotta go now, Onee-chan. I have to train to get stronger, right?"

"You bet!" she replied. "Someday you'll surpass me, if you work hard!" She waved goodbye to him as he ran off. She grinned to herself. Rokuro was cheerful and kind, but he was often alone. He was an orphan; his mother and father had both been ninjas and had died in the line of duty. Rokuro often hung out with Yumi since he had few friends – he saw her as a big sister. She liked having him around, as she had never had any younger siblings. He would make a fine shinobi, she thought to herself.

Yumi got up, and set some money on the counter. "Keep the change," she said cheerily. The shopkeeper thanked her as she walked away.

What to do today? She wondered. It was rare that a chuunin like her had a free day to spend, and she was determined to spend it well. She sighed. She didn't really have many friends either, now that she thought about it. I'm such a loser, she thought with a grin. I'm nearly two decades old and I still haven't got a boyfriend. Huh, she sighed.

Whatever. It was a waste of brainpower to spend time thinking about this stuff. A kunoichi had better things to do. I'll go to the bookstore, she decided. Maybe I'll find something new to read.

A few minutes later, she arrived at her favorite bookstore. "Hello!" she called out. The old man that owned the place peered at her.

"Welcome," he said quietly with a soft smile. "Nice to see you again, Yumi-chan."

She smiled and went to browse through the books. In no time, she was immersed in a novel about a legendary ninja on a quest for love. So corny, she thought. But it sure is interesting.

Suddenly, she was pulled from her trance by a tentative tap on her shoulder. "Hmm?"

"Um, hi…you're Yumi senpai, right?" a shy man asked. He had glasses and stringy blond hair. He was thin and taller than Yumi, even though he was slouching.

"Yup, that's me," she said. "You look familiar. You're Yuushi, right? You work for the Kazekage."

"Oh! Uh, yeah," he said, blushing. He stood there for a while, just looking at her.

"Did you want to ask me something?" Yumi said with a puzzled look. What a strange guy, she thought.

"Um, uh, I – I," he stuttered, "I was wondering if maybe, um, you could go out with me?" He turned away and adjusted his glasses, blushing profusely.

Yumi was surprised to say the least. She didn't mean to be picky, especially since a girl like her who hadn't dated anyone couldn't really afford to be picky, but he just wasn't her type.

"Sorry," she said gently. "I'm kind of busy." She hoped that he would get the hint.

Luckily, Yuushi was a smart guy and knew what a rejection was. To be honest, he was quite familiar with rejections at this point. "Oh, uh, alright," he squeaked. "I'll leave now." Yumi looked guiltily at his retreating figure. She was about to call out to him, but he left in a flash.

Yumi sighed. She went back to reading her book. The hero had rescued the heroine, and they were professing their love for one another. Romance, she thought. Pfft.

She tried to picture a man that would sweep her off of her feet. Not that a kunoichi like her needed to be swept or anything; but it was nice to fantasize. Suddenly, a certain red-haired and green-eyed man filled her mind. Agh! She shook her head. She had to admit, the Kazekage was certainly attractive, but she had to face reality. He would never notice a girl like her.

She thought back to the few times she had met him.

The first time she had met him had been when they were both very young. She had noticed him all alone in the park, and had wondered why. His hair was spiky and red, and his green eyes were filled with tears.

"Hey! What's your name?" she had asked curiously. He looked so sad. Suddenly, the other kids had pulled her away. "What are you doing? I just want to talk to him!" she protested.

"Don't!" a boy warned. "He's a monster!"

"Yeah…he's not normal. Don't go near him!"

Yumi frowned. A monster? He didn't seem scary at all…just sad. She shook off their arms. "I'm still going to talk to him," she had said stubbornly.

"Whatever. Your funeral, Yumi," the boy had said, running away with the other kids.

Yumi had turned, but the boy had disappeared. Yumi looked at the spot where the boy had been. Where did he go? She saw him walking away in the distance.

"Hey! Wait! I'm not going to hurt you, stupid!" she yelled. The boy turned. "My name is Yumi!" she said loudly. She thought she saw the boy smile slightly, but then an arm pulled her away.

"Yumi! What are you doing?" her father said fiercely. "You are not to speak to that…freak."

"But he's just a boy! Why can't I?"

He shook his head. "He's not a normal kid. Stay away from him, got it?"

She pouted, and shook her head. "I want to be friends with him."

"No! If I catch you talking to that monster again, I'll ground you for a month. Understood?"

She nodded, her expression like a thundercloud. Stupid parents. As her father had carried her away, she saw the boy looking at her with sadness and longing.

Yumi smiled at the memory. She doubted that Gaara remembered that time – they were both only children. But how could she forget it? It was a precious moment.

The second time she had met him was when he had gone on a rampage.

He had been provoked into a fury, and Shukaku had been released. All the shinobi had been fighting against the tailed-beast, trying to tame it. That was the first time in her life she had felt terror. She had hid in her house, shuddering.

Suddenly, a clawed paw crashed down on her home, crushing half of it. She had screamed in fear, cowering in the ruins. But then she had looked up into Shukaku's eyes.

The beast was crying. "Gaara?" she asked softly. "Is that you?"

Shukaku roared, and moved to crush her. But suddenly it froze. Its eyes changed, and Yumi could see the sad little boy behind them. Its arm dropped, and the shinobi of the sand attacked it, until it was finally subdued.

It had been that night that she had learned to fear him, and then not to fear him. Behind the monster was the lonely child she had seen on the playground.

She would never forget that day.

The most recent time she had met him had been only last year.

"Hi, Gaara-senpai! I'm Kirura Yumi." She had bowed deeply. It had been the day before he would take the post of Kazekage. "I heard that the elders are thinking about making you Kazekage, Gaara-senpai."

"You can call me Gaara," he said quietly. "Titles aren't necessary."

She smiled and blushed slightly. He had been friendlier than she had imagined. He seemed so stoic, but deep down was a young man who cared deeply about the village and every person in it.

"I guess you'll be Kazekage-sama tomorrow, huh?" she said. "Congratulations!"

"They haven't made up their minds yet. I'm very young, perhaps too young to be made the leader."

"Don't be like that. You're the strongest shinobi of this village hands down."

"That's not all there is to it." He sighed. "A lot of the people in this village simply do not trust me. And honestly, I don't blame them."

Yumi blinked in surprise. It was true, what he said, but she hadn't known that he had realized that. "I trust you," she blurted out. The blush on her cheeks became more pronounced.

His pale green eyes widened. "T-thank you," he murmured. "It is nice to be trusted by some, at least. I am just glad that the dark time in my life is over. I am no longer the monster I used to be." He extended a hand to Yumi. She had taken it hesitantly, suddenly shy. "I hope I will speak with you again, Yumi."

Gaara…she thought. I wish I could talk to you. I wish I could be your friend. Now that you're Kazekage…do you not have room for me? She sighed. She wanted to go up to him and just talk, but she felt too shy. After all, he was the Kazekage.

He worked so hard. All for the sake of the village. The village loves you back, now, Gaara, she thought. I hope you know that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Here's another chapter. It's short, but I'm posting at least three chapters a week, so bear with me. Next chapter will be longer, I promise. Anyways, review please! It makes my heart dance...with happiness. Also, Gaara will love you if you do. No joke. I actually spoke with him. -Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 3**

"Thank you for coming, Kazekage," Lady Tsunade said curtly. "Our village is very thankful."

"No need for thanks. This matter could potentially concern all of us, honored Hokage. Not only that, Suna is indebted to you for all you have done for us as an ally."

The Hokage nodded. "Very well. Shall we start?" Gaara nodded his agreement. "Well then, you have read the report I sent to you. I have also received reports from our other allies with the same sort of situation. I am sure that you received the same reports."

"You are correct. It is my opinion that these incidents are all connected. There is likely an enemy out there targeting specific ninjas," Gaara said, with his hands folded.

"I agree," Kakashi added. He had been invited to the meeting as well. "The pattern of attack is similar, and my nin-dogs found faint traces of scents at each scene. They were barely detectable, but still there." He looked solemn. "The same set of scents were at each place of attack. The enemy must have cleaned up after themselves. I'm guessing they were in a hurry. They weren't careful enough to erase every piece of evidence." He held something up. "I think they wanted us to believe that these ninjas left on their own, but I have reason to believe otherwise. My scouting team found these." With that, he dropped a handful of photographs on the table. They were pictures of faint nicks on trees, broken twigs here and there, fallen leaves, and even half of a footprint. The Hokage and Kazekage studied them carefully.

"Well done, Kakashi," Tsunade said. "This proves it. There is a new enemy out there."

Gaara nodded. "I have already taken precautions around my village and alerted all the shinobi within it." He frowned. "But there is one big thing we don't know; what is this enemy's goal?"

Tsunade rested her chin on her hands. "I am not sure myself."

Gaara read over the reports again for a few minutes. "I have noticed something else in common. They each have a specific bloodline ability that is very powerful. For example, the shinobi kidnapped from your village, Hyuuga Neji, possesses the Byakugan. Perhaps they are after those abilities."

"But then wouldn't kidnapping a Hyuuga be pointless? Neji has the seal on his forehead that prevents the Byakugan from being stolen."

Kakashi lifted one hand casually. "Either the enemy is not as informed as we thought, or they have thought very far ahead. Neji-kun is a powerful asset to this village, and as long as we think we have a chance of saving him, I don't think the Hyuugas will activate the seal." He shrugged. "I don't know the Hyuugas very well, but their opinion seems to have changed towards Neji. I doubt they would activate the seal when they are sure he is alive."

Gaara nodded. "Perhaps that is good news. It means they are keeping the kidnapped alive."

Tsunade nodded as well. "How will we apprehend this enemy?"

Gaara thought for a moment. "Our village has yet to be attacked. I will send out some of our most gifted jounin to set a trap; if this enemy comes after them, they will fall into our hands."

The Hokage sighed. "Are you sure you are willing to do that?"

"Yes. The jounin will take every precaution, and I will equip them with trackers. Either way, we will be able to find the location of the enemy."

"Very well. I will send out teams to scout out for the hideout of this enemy. I will send messages to our allies suggesting they do the same."

The Hokage and Kazekage shook hands. "Very well. It is decided then."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello readers, Lumi here. Anyhow, if you read the description, you'd know that I deleted this story because my sister pissed me off (I also deleted BreadKittens on my iPad; what can I say, I am very impulsive). But we made up, so all is good again. here is another chapter - enjoy! Please review...I will love you forever. -Lumi xo**

**Chapter 4**

The faint crescent of a moon glinted in the sky as two shadowed figures raced through the desert towards Suna. They wore black hooded cloaks that covered their faces and their long sleeves trailed behind them as they ran.

"Can you sense the target?" One of the two asked quietly.

"I can now," the other replied. "He has returned to the village."

"You are prepared?"

"Yes." Their cloaks shielded them from the sands in the wind as they traversed through the night.

Gaara couldn't sleep. Something was bothering him…despite all the guards he had posted, he still felt it wasn't enough. A sense of foreboding filled him as he gazed out his window. He couldn't shake the feeling that his village was in danger.

Perhaps I am imagining things, he thought. He narrowed his eyes. He grabbed his gourd and shrugged on a coat. One can never be too careful, he decided. He was weary and tired, but he wouldn't let that stop him. I will protect this village, he decided.

He stepped out into the open, and even the sight of the moon seemed like a narrowed eye gazing down evilly. With one hand, he plucked the stopper from his gourd. He let the sand flow around him, letting the flow of it sooth him. He thought of his beloved mother, Karura. He could feel her love in the sand as it embraced him. I need your help, mother, he thought. This village needs your help. He closed his eyes, and vanished as he body-flickered to the borders of Suna. Help me protect this place, mother, he thought.

Yumi sat alone in her small house, reading her novel. It was late, she knew, but the news that Gaara – no, the Kazekage, she corrected herself, had brought back had disturbed her. She sighed. They had been living in peace for so long that they had let their guard down. She had been particularly worried when she had been told that the enemy was seeking out ninjas with unique skills. She thought of Temari, with her amazing powers over wind, and Kankuro, with his puppet no jutsu. But most of all, she thought of Gaara. You're being silly, she told herself. He's the Kazekage; no matter how strong the enemy is, they won't be able to take him down.

Still, a worm of worry gnawed at her mind. The Kazekage had been captured years ago, by a member of Akatsuki. Could it happen again? Stop doubting the Kazekage! She told herself. Yumi frowned, and closed her book. She couldn't concentrate anyway.

Gaara-sama truly loved this village and would do anything for its people. That was part of why she admired him so much. She wished she could be part of the night guard, but only jounins were selected. A chuunin like her was practically invisible to him, she reminded herself.

She paced around her empty house, feeling lonely and afraid. She was an orphan, just like Rokuro. She didn't really have anyone. Yumi smirked, reprimanding herself for all that self-pity. I'm a lucky girl, she reminded herself. I live in a beautiful village with a gorgeous – I mean, generous, Kazekage.

Yumi crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. I will get stronger, she thought. For you, Gaara-sama, and for everyone in this village. With that, she dropped off to sleep.

"Gaara-sama! What are you doing here?" Baki asked. He was one of the jounin posted as guard tonight.

"Can't you sense it?" Gaara asked softly. Baki shook his head. "Something bad is going to happen. I can feel it."

"But surely all these guards will be able to handle any threat! If it were many enemies, we would have detected them long ago." Baki looked concerned for his old student. "You push yourself too hard, Gaara-sama."

"It is my duty as Kazekage to protect Suna," Gaara said solemnly. He had grown to love this village and would not see it damaged. He stood tall and crossed his arms, not out of stubbornness, but out of determination.

Baki sighed. "Very well. But you cannot do this every night." He put a hand on Gaara's shoulder, a rare sign of affection. "You need rest if you want to be strong. Remember that." Gaara nodded. It moved his heart that his previous mentor, who had once feared him and disliked him, now cared for him and respected him as the leader.

He opened his mouth to express his gratitude, but suddenly an explosion rocked the village. Gaara and Baki leapt back from the loud booms.

"They're here," Gaara said grimly, gritting his teeth.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi, this one is a bit longer than the others. Hopefully that'll tide you over till the next time I write (which will probably be this week anyways). Please read and review! **

**On a sadder note, my snake died. I cried all night. Hopefully she is in snake heaven now, eating little micies. I love you, Alma. I always will.**

**-Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 5**

The ground shook with the explosions, the doors to the village blown apart. Gaara narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected them to attack right in the open like this. With a sweep of his arm, he made a wall of sand rise up, readying himself to fight back. They were in the desert, after all. This was his domain.

As the dust cleared, two figures emerged, both clothed in black robes. One held a large cannon-like weapon on their shoulder. So that's what made the explosions, Gaara thought.

"Who are you? What is your intent?" he called out. The two figures stood still, even as countless jounin surrounded them. Temari rushed to her brother's side, brandishing her fan. "Wait, Temari," he said, blocking her with one arm. "I want to hear what they have to say." He crossed his arms. "We need more information on this enemy."

The figure with the weapon lowered the cannon. The other figure spoke, "We are of the organization 'Yonaka.' Our purpose is secret."

"Where are you from?" Gaara asked. They were eerily still, almost like puppets.

"We are of the village of Shadows." Gaara's eyes widened in surprise. He had thought that that village had been destroyed long ago. They were users of the darkest types of Jutsus and dabbled in forbidden techniques. "You are thinking that we are a dead village. That is partly true. We are now nomads. But we are strong, and we will only get stronger; our village will be revived."

So that's their goal, Gaara thought. How exactly do they plan to do that? Are they collecting powerful shinobi and controlling them somehow?

"I will not allow you to harm any person in this village," Gaara said. He thrust out his arms, and the sand stretched out its tendrils to crush them, but the two hooded ninjas leapt nimbly away. The rest of the guard took this as the signal to strike, and the battle began.

"Who are you after?" Gaara roared, as he controlled the sand. I have to move them elsewhere, he thought. It was difficult enough to move the sand without harming his own allies. The black ninjas did not reply. They moved like shadows, swifter than the eye could follow, even the one carrying the heavy load. Suddenly, a group of jounin collapsed with a scream as fire spread across their bodies. Shit, Gaara cursed. He quickly smothered the flames with his sand.

The flames were everywhere. They were no ordinary red and yellow flames; these flames burned bright blue and white. The cannon boomed out again and again, burning down houses and people faster than Gaara with his sand and Temari with her fan could put the fires out.

"Tend to the wounded," Gaara instructed his sister. "I'm going to lead him away." Temari nodded. Gaara lifted his arms, and a wave of sand rose from the desert, carrying away the wounded jounin. He leapt out into the desert, floating on a cloud of sand. He breathed a sigh of relief when the two figures followed him.

"Sand Tsunami!" he commanded, and the desert obeyed his will. The sand rushed up, and fell down, thousands of tiny grains, covering the attackers. They might have been fast, but even they couldn't avoid such a large attack. "Desert Coffin!" he roared, clenching his fists. The sand hardened until it was solid as rock. Gaara panted, wearying. He was almost out of chakra. "The village is safe," he gasped.

But he had spoken too soon. The sand was suddenly blown apart by a rush of blue flame. Impossible, he thought. He gritted his teeth and summoned the sand for another attack. The black figures climbed out of the sand, bloody but still alive. One of them had a broken arm, which swung lazily at an odd angle. Still, they made no sound to betray their pain.

Without warning, they fired another fireball at him. Damn it, he thought, and wrapped the sand around him. The sand automatically jumped to his side. But something was wrong. The sand was moving on its own, not of his accord. He pushed it aside, but it crept towards him insistently. What is going on? He wondered. And then he realized what was happening. The sand was being controlled by the figure with the broken arm.

It wasn't sand anymore. Gaara realized how fiendishly clever this organization was, and who had been their target.

"You were after me all this time," he said angrily.

"Correct."

The figure moved his arm, and as he did, the transformed sand moved with it. It was now clear and glowing faintly. These people have been chosen specifically to fight my powers, he thought. The fire wasn't just for show. The blue flames had been more than fire; they were hot enough to melt sand! The substance they were now wielding was molten glass.

"Agh!" Gaara cried, as a molten spear pierced his body. His body burned with pain as the molten glass wrapped around him. He could summon the sand again, but what good would that do? They would only use it against him. Black spots swam in his vision and pain throbbed in his chest. The glass slowly coated his entire body, until he was trapped inside a massive cocoon. The glass cooled instantly, effectively trapping him as though he were in a block of ice. Gaara groaned in pain, and lost consciousness.

"What's going on?!" Yumi cried. She had been woken by the commotion and rushed outside in full gear. Something bad is happening, she thought with gritted teeth. She was only a chuunin, but she had a duty to protect this village as well.

"Where did the enemy go?"

"Where is Gaara-sama?"

"I don't hear the battle anymore!"

"The Kazekage won, right?"

It was chaos. The jounin and medical team were running around, tending to all the wounded. Yumi gasped as she saw the damage. Most of the jounin had been badly burnt. Temari was commanding most of the medical team but even she had a slight limp. The enemy must have been powerful to land a blow on Temari.

She saw that the sand had carried the wounded to safety. She smiled slightly. Gaara always thought of others first. Where is he? She wondered. A pain clutched in her chest. She desperately hoped that he was alright. Kankuro was nowhere to be seen; he must have gone after Gaara.

"Temari-senpai! Where is the Kazekage?" she asked.

"He went to fight the enemy by himself," she replied. "There are two of them, and one wields fire. They are strong." Her words echoed with worry and longing to go and help her brother.

Yumi bit her lip. "I will go after him," she said solemnly. She wouldn't be much help here. She was clumsy with healing. She leapt into the night sky, in pursuit of the Kazekage.

"Wait!" Temari cried. "You'll be killed!" But Yumi was already gone.

"Summoning no jutsu!" she cried, placing her palm on the desert sand. In a 'poof' of fog, a white fox appeared.

"What is you require, madam?" the fox asked in her silky voice.

"Follow the scent of the Kazekage, Shiro," she commanded. She hopped onto the head of the fox.

"As you wish." Shiro lowered her nose to the ground and sniffed. "Found it." The giant white fox darted into the desert, Yumi standing on her head. We're almost there, Gaara, she thought. Hang on.

"What is this?" she cried. Shiro disappeared in a flash. Kankuro and some other jounins were standing crowded around something. The desert looked as if a sandstorm had blown through it, showing that Gaara had fought fiercely. "Is he hurt?"

Kankuro stepped up to her. "We don't know, Yumi." The jounin stepped aside, revealing nothing but shining glass and a few drops of blood. "They were hasty in their getaway this time. This glass…we'll have to examine it carefully."

Yumi dropped to her knees. "He's – He's gone?" she whispered in shock. This couldn't be possible. She clutched her face.

Kankuro put a rough hand on her shoulder. "It's alright," he said gruffly. "Gaara's stronger than any of us. But together, we will defeat this enemy and bring him back."

Yumi nodded. She narrowed her eyes in fury at the enemy. Just you wait, she thought. We're coming after you


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry I haven't been writing...exam week...yay...blech. But my sister is demanding, so here is another chapter. It's short, but hey, short and sweet, right? Enjoy! -Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 6**

"WHAAAAT?" Naruto exclaimed. "GAARA's BEEN KIDNAPPED!?" He scratched his spiky blond hair. "But he's so tough…HEY, WHY DOES THIS SOUND SO FAMILIAR?"

Temari groaned. "He was taken by Akatsuki two years ago, remember, idiot?"

"I don't get it," he muttered. "How come he's Kazekage if he's been kidnapped so many times?" He crossed his arms behind his head. "Well, we'll just have to get him back!"

Temari smiled slightly. "That's why we're here. We met with Lady Tsunade, and she recommended a few of you to help with us on this mission. It is best if we collaborate to bring back the kidnapped ninjas. My brother has gone through the village to look for the others."

Gaara…we'll come and get you, Naruto thought. You're my comrade and friend. You can count on me.

In a flash of green spandex, Lee appeared out of nowhere. "I have heard what has happened, Miss Temari. My condolences. But with the power of youth, we will rescue the Kazekage and Neji-kun!" He pounded his fist into the air, and unblinkingly made the "nice guy" pose. "It's a promise!" he proclaimed.

Naruto stared at him. "We're bringing him?!" he asked. He leaned closer to whisper into Temari's ear. "He's so weird…"

"You're one to talk," she retorted. "I don't even know why we're bringing an idiot on this mission."

"Hehe…who's the idiot?" Naruto asked. He was met with a deafening silence. "No way…you're not talking about me again, are you? Come on!" He waved his arms around in a comical fit of rage. Temari sighed. No matter how old or powerful this guy got, he was still a kid at heart.

"I'm back," Kankuro said as he strode towards them. "I've got the rest of our team." Sakura came into view with a hand on her hip, spinning a kunai around her finger absentmindedly. She looked rather downcast.

"Hey," she said quietly. Naruto put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," he said. "We'll rescue Neji and Gaara, beat up the enemy, and all go out to eat ramen afterwards!" She sighed.

"Thanks, Naruto," she murmured.

"Hey, can we go on a date after?" he asked cheekily. She bopped him on the head, making him crash to the ground.

"You have to ruin every good moment," she said, her face twitching. She turned to Temari and Kankuro. "I'll do my best as a medical ninja on this mission," she said solemnly. "We will succeed!"

Behind her was Yumi, who had brought Shikamaru. He had an unhappy look on his face as usual, and was staring up at the clouds.

"What a drag," he muttered. "It seems that there's always another enemy popping up somewhere." He groaned. "Well, it can't be helped."

"Hey Shikamaru," Temari greeted him. He blushed slightly and turned away. Sakura had to suppress a giggle. There was definitely some "crushing" going on here.

"Hi," he muttered. "So, what's the deal with the enemy?"

"We aren't exactly sure yet," Temari replied. "We have a little info, which I'll tell you while we go." Shikamaru shrugged.

"Fine," he said. "How are we gonna find the enemy anyways?"

Yumi spoke up. "The enemy wasn't as careful this time. They left behind some shards of glass infused with chakra. When it was examined, it was found to contain the chakra of the enemy and the Kazekage. Shiro, my nin-fox can follow the trails of chakra. We will be following her to find the enemy's location."

"I'll lead," Temari said firmly. "You will follow behind me Shikamaru, then Yumi, Naruto, Lee, Sakura, and lastly, Kankuro. Got it?"

"Roger," they replied. Lee looked giddy at the thought of being close to Sakura.

"Alright then, let's go!" They raced towards the gates of the Leaf village to leave.

"Wait!" a voice called out. A girl with white eyes and a shy expression ran up to them. "Take me with you."

"Hinata-san?" Naruto asked. "What are you doing here?" She blushed, and tapped her index fingers together nervously.

"Neji-kun is my cousin. I want to go after him," she said. "Please let me go, Temari-san."

Temari considered it. "Well, you do have your Byakugan. That could come in handy. Alright, come with us. And extra hand couldn't hurt. You'll be last, after Kankuro." She nodded, waved shyly to Naruto and took her place.

Yumi placed a hand on the ground. "Summoning no Jutsu," she said, and Shiro appeared.

"Whoa," Naruto said. Shiro looked at him neutrally. She was bigger than a house, with a flowing tail and thick white fur. Her eyes shone with a faint violet light. "Wait a second, that thing is too big to go through the forest!" he protested. "Can't we use one of Kakashi-sensei's nin-dogs?"

Shiro bristled. "I am not a 'thing!'" she exclaimed. "My name is Shiro." Yumi patted her on the nose.

"Normal nin-dogs can only follow scent, not chakra," she explained. "Shiro here can sense different chakras and follow their trails, like I said." What a baka, she thought. "And as for size, she can shrink when she wishes to. To prove her point, Shiro closed her eyes and shrank until she fit into Yumi's arms. Yumi held out the shards of glass to her to sniff.

"I've got it," she said, after a few moments. She pointed her nose towards the forest.

"Cool!" Naruto exclaimed. Temari sighed.

"Okay, we'll leave now. Finally." With that, the group of ninjas leapt into the forest, following Shiro.


	7. Chapter 7

**Lumi here. Not much to say today...anyways, if you enjoy my fanfic, please review! I don't have a lot of highlights in my day (haha, what a loser, rite?) so it would really bring a smile to my face. Even if it's just one or two words, or even a message from a hater (haters gonna hate) I would really appreciate it. Okay, enough pleading and self-pitying. Go and read (and review, hopefully). Damn. Okay, that was the last one. **

**-Lumi (who will love you if you review)**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 7**

Gaara awoke to blinding pain in his arms and legs. He opened his eyes, but saw only darkness. Wherever he was, there was no sand – nothing for him to fight with. He was trapped by some substance, probably glass. His arms and legs were pinned to his sides, and he was barely able to move his neck.

Those bastards, he thought. Where have they taken me? His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and he saw several other people like him, bound in some way. He recognized one as Neji of the Leaf. They all seemed to be unconscious.

He heard footsteps approaching. Click clack. Click clack. A dark figure came into view.

"I see you have awoken, Subject D." The voice was smooth and metallic, almost as if it weren't human.

"Where am I?" he asked angrily. He fervently hoped that his village was alright. It didn't matter if he lived or died, but Suna must go on.

"Don't worry, your little village is safe," the voice spoke soothingly. "For now," it added.

"What are you planning to do?" he asked with narrowed eyes. If by some miracle he did escape, information would prove to be extremely valuable. This room, or cavern, or whatever it was, was constructed of some material that had a soporific effect on him. He felt himself growing drowsy but jerked himself awake.

"Perhaps the Master will tell you in due time," the genteel voice replied. "I am not at liberty to say." The figure busied itself with instruments on a table. Gaara wondered how it could see in this blinding darkness. Was it some sort of eye technique? He struggled against his bonds, but it only caused him greater pain. "Don't struggle, Subject D. The burns and lacerations on your body were severe and will take time to heal. You will only hurt yourself by moving," it said nonchalantly.

"Damn you," Gaara muttered. He would find a way out of this. Why weren't the other captives stirring? They couldn't be…no, they had to be alive. "What did you do to them?" he asked. They seemed to be breathing, but something was off about them.

"Calm yourself, Subject D."

"My name is Gaara!" he shouted. They were treating him like some lab rat. Was that all they were? Humans to be experimented on? That had to be it. They were taking top-notch ninjas as guinea pigs to study and take apart. "What did you do to them?" he asked again.

"They are alive, if that is what you are asking. We simply…took something. All of you have something we want, you see, and all we want is just to remove it. Trust me, you won't mind a bit afterwards."

"I don't have the Ichibi inside me anymore, if that's what you're after," Gaara said. He looked at the prone figures. If they had wanted their abilities, they would have just taken Neji's eyes. But from what he could see, his eyes were intact. Everything was a mystery.

"Oh, we aren't after the tailed-beasts," the voice said. Metal instruments clinked as the figure worked with his back turned. "We're after something else."

"You want to revive your village, don't you," Gaara said. It wasn't a question. The figure didn't reply. He wondered just how they planned to do it. Were they working on some method to control minds and force other ninjas to fight for them? He dismissed the idea. Edo Tensei would have been much easier and had practically no risk to the user and would last infinitely. But for some reason, they were keeping them here, alive. "I don't know what kind of jutsus your group is cooking up, but you won't stand a chance against the Leaf and the Sand. They won't just stand by and let this happen."

"They don't really have a choice, do they?" The figure lifted a needle, and drew some dark fluid into it. It came closer to Gaara.

"Wait, if I'm Subject D, who's Subject C?" he asked. The figure gestured towards Neji.

"We haven't finished the procedures with him yet, but we'll be done soon. Then it'll be your turn," it said happily. Gaara gritted his teeth. So the two other missing ninjas had already been…used. For what? But at least, Neji still had a chance, and so did he.

The figure leaned closer, and plunged an empty needle into his neck. They drew the plunger back, and Gaara watched in horror as the thick tube filled with his blood. After what seemed like an eternity, the needle withdrew.

"There. That's done," the voice said, and set the vial of blood down. They scribbled something quickly, and took another needle. This one was already filled with a murky liquid. "One more," it said cheerfully, and before Gaara could move or protest, the needle was pushed into his neck. The mystery liquid slowly entered his veins and he was filled with a sense of overwhelming happiness and drowsiness. Suddenly, nothing really seemed to matter anymore. His body didn't hurt, and it felt so calming just to close his eyes. "Go to sleep now, Subject D," was the last thing he heard before his eyelids dropped.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello readers! It's late and I'm tired, so I won't say much. But I've just finished writing a novel.. i'm trying to get it published now. So my fingers are crossed! Anyways, happy reading and please review! -Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 8**

Shiro stopped suddenly in her tracks. She sniffed cautiously, puzzled at what she found.

"What is it, Shiro?" Yumi asked. The white fox jumped into her arms.

"The trail splits up into many different directions. I do not know which one to follow." Shiro yawned and rubbed her whiskers with a paw. They had been running for nearly an entire day. The sun had come and gone, and the moon shone bright above their heads.

Yumi looked grim. "I don't know how they did it, but somehow they've split to throw us off."

Temari frowned. "Even if they split up, can't we follow the creator of this chakra trail? He's the one who kidnapped our Kazekage."

Yumi shook her head. "It's not as simple as that. This…group, of people, didn't just go in different directions. Their chakras would have split as well. But the chakra trail we've been following…it has separated into seven distinct parts. It's almost as if a person split themselves into eight."

"Probably just shadow clones," Temari said. "We'll have to split up. Summon more kitsune so we'll each have one to guide us. We'll need these radios to keep in touch as well." She handed them out.

Yumi had a bad feeling. She knew that these weren't shadow clones…she didn't have any proof, but she could feel it in her gut. A person's chakra could be split among shadow clones, but their life-force would remain in the original. Somehow, this person or persons had split that as well. It could be some forbidden jutsu, she decided.

"Summoning no jutsu!" she cried. Seven more foxes appeared.

"Hiya, Yumi-chan," a black one said. "What'd you call us for? It's usually just Shiro, isn't it?"

"Our team needs to split up. Each one of you will be leading one member of our team. Got it?" They nodded obediently. "Shiro will come with me, Aka, you go with Temari, Chairo, you're with Kankuro, Murasaki, you're with Hinata, Aoi, you go with Shikamaru, and Midori will be with Lee, Kiiro will be with Sakura, and Kuro, you're with Naruto."

"Who's Naruto?" Kuro asked. Yumi pointed at the ninja with the spiky blond ninja. Kuro snorted. "He looks kinda stupid," he muttered. "What's with those whiskers?"

"You take that back, you stupid fox!" Naruto shouted. Kuro growled, and bit him on the leg. "Agh! Get off of me!" he cried, shaking his leg. "Why can't I have a nicer one?"

Yumi groaned. "Look, we don't have time for this. Kuro, Naruto, suck it up and be nice. If you can't be nice, at least try not to kill each other." The fox and the boy glared at each other. Kuro bared his teeth, and Naruto stuck his tongue out and narrowed his eyes. Yumi sighed. She clapped her hands. "All right, here is the chakra sample." The foxes crowded around and sniffed it carefully.

"Okay, we got it," Kuro said. The other foxes nodded.

Temari signaled for them to split up. "Keep in contact, and tell the others immediately if you come across an enemy. Remember, we are looking for information."

"Roger!" they said, and leapt in their separate directions, led by the kitsune.

The members of Yonaka gathered together.

"The preparations are nearly complete," one figure spoke.

"Good. Is the vessel ready?"

"Nearly. We will need to collect a few more sacrifices. Contact the villages and demand five more people."

The tallest figure sighed in satisfaction. Everything was coming together at last. The Land of Shadows would soon have the strongest weapon of all, and their empire would expand until they were the most powerful in the world.

"Konoha and Suna have allied together and are seeking us," one person spoke. "We have diverted them momentarily, but we cannot hold them off forever."

"Kill them," the leader said coldly. "We do not need their bodies or abilities, and they will only interfere."

"But Master, there is a jinchuriki in their group. Wouldn't having its power be valuable?"

"Only if we could control it. It's been proven in the past that the tailed beasts are volatile and are a double-edged sword. They would easily turn upon their master if given the chance. There is only one way to chain them and bend them to your will, and that is by using the lost eye technique, the Sharingan." The group murmured. "It is a shame that the Uchiha were completely wiped out. Their skills and genes would have proved extremely useful."

"Wait! I know of a single Sharingan that has not been destroyed," a figure said excitedly. The others gasped in excitement. "It is in the Leaf – I have heard of it. I do not know if it is true."

The Master thought it over. "I have heard of it as well. This Hatake Kakashi possesses the eye, but does not possess the blood of an Uchiha. We cannot harvest it the same way we would the other specimens. We must remove the eye and implant it into the vessel itself."

"Shall we attack the village then?"

"Not yet. We have yet to complete the vessel, and our attackers grow close. After we deal with them, we will seek out this owner of the Sharingan."

"But how will we defeat him?"

"We have overtaken a Kazekage! A mere jounin will be child's play compared to that."

"Perhaps, but we had to prepare for many weeks before attempting to attack Suna. We had to steal specific abilities to conquer the sand. We cannot use that method when fighting a member of the Sharingan…they can copy nearly any ninjutsu they see…how will we fight?"

"Don't be foolish. We already have ten fine powers at our fingertips. Even a Sharingan is no match for that. Now, has Subject C been harvested yet?"

"No, Master. He is fighting the process."

"Press him harder, then. I am eager to get my hands on the Byakugan…and after that, the powers of the sand."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello readers! I see I still have no reviews (apart from the one from my sister, luv ya, sis)...that breaks my heart. Please review if you want me to continue! A word or two is enough...just show your support! Thank you! -Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 9**

Shiro led Yumi deeper and deeper into the unknown forest. The white fox sniffed the air every few seconds, following the chakra trail. Yumi fingered a kunai nervously as they leaped from branch to branch.

"You know I don't like the looks of this," Shiro muttered. "Something's not right, and you know it." Yumi sighed.

"Yeah, I know, but just go with it. We have a team of eight people! If things come to their worst, than we can always call for backup." She tried to sound confident, and failed. The enemy might overtake all of them…and then where would they be? Come on, Yumi, she thought. You're a ninja…stop wasting precious time overthinking crap like this.

"They could pick us off one at a time, you do realize that, right?" Shiro added. "That was probably why they split us up."

"Oh, shut it," Yumi snapped. Shiro shot her a resentful look. "Sorry," she said contritely. "I know you're right. Just try to be optimistic for once, okay? It wouldn't hurt."

"Whatever you say," the white kitsune replied. She sniffed the air and her ears perked up. "The scent is getting stronger. We need to go faster, Yumi-sama. Something big is up ahead."

"Alright." Yumi tied her long hair back, and gripped a kunai in each hand. "Let's do this, Shiro!"

Temari ran quietly, following the tiny red fox. She couldn't show it in front of the others, being the leader and all, but she was more than a little fearful for her little brother. He was so young, and had become the leader of an entire village. That was a lot of responsibility, but he had done his job well. Does, she corrected herself. He does it well.

It had been bad enough that he had been kidnapped once, but twice? His powers and the fact that he was Kazekage made him a big target on anyone's list, but she worried about how the other villages would view the Sand. She had faith in her brother, and knew that the only reason he was captured was because he was more focused on the protection of the village than his own safety, but other people might not know that. In the world of ninjas, you couldn't afford to show weakness. Not to anybody.

Please be okay, Gaara, she thought. It doesn't matter if you're a jinchuriki or the Kazekage; you'll always be my little brother. And as your big sister, I'll always be by your side.

Her fingers stroked the edge of her fan absentmindedly. There were so few people in this world she trusted…it had only been in recent years that she had begun to put her faith in her siblings. Even now, she had a hard time opening her heart to anyone.

Suddenly, her thoughts jumped to Shikamaru. Why am I thinking of him? She thought with embarrassment. He's just a lazy-ass Leaf ninja. But she trusted him. And respected him, too. They were fortunate to have him on their team.

Aka noticed her blush. "Why're you blushing, Miss?" he asked in a squeaky voice.

"It's nothing," Temari muttered. The fox shrugged nonchalantly. Suddenly, he sniffed in interest.

"Prepare yourself, Miss Temari," he squeaked. Temari nodded with a smirk.

"You can go now, Aka," she said.

"Huh? Don't you want my help?" the red fox said, slightly hurt.

"I can handle this," Temari assured him. "Besides, this is kind of a personal thing." With a sigh, the fox disappeared. She grabbed her fan and swung itopen, ready to wreak vengeance on the people who kidnapped her little brother.

Yumi bounced nervously on the balls of her feet. Her eyes darted warily from left to right. Shiro paced around her legs, mewing and growling.

"What is this?" she wondered aloud. She was surrounded by what looked like a filmy black web. The strands were almost invisible to the naked eye, and she could barely move to avoid them – they were wrapped and tangled in every direction. She felt a faint buzzing of energy from them, and realized that they were composed of chakra.

She pressed the tip of a kunai against one, hoping to sever it, but the blade passed through with no effect. Yumi bit her lip. There was no telling what touching these strands would do if she came in contact with them.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" she muttered, and a replica of herself popped into being. She sent her clone running deeper into the clearing, but as soon as a thread grazed its arm, it wavered like a flickering light and vanished. She felt it as her clone was dissipated, and her stomach rolled in nausea. Yumi narrowed her eyes.

"These threads disrupt chakra," she concluded. "It dispels any nin-jutsu upon contact. And furthermore, physical attacks have no effect." She gritted her teeth. This really wasn't good. There was no way she could navigate through these nearly invisible strings without being caught, and the enemy could do whatever it wanted at this point.

But why hadn't it attacked yet? Maybe it couldn't…every technique had its downfalls, after all.

"Come here, Shiro," she commanded. This enemy was like a spider, waiting for its prey to stumble into its trap. She might be trapped, but she wouldn't let herself get tangled any further. Besides, every spider resides in the middle of its web.

"What are you planning, Yumi-sama?" she asked.

"You're small enough to make your way through these threads. Go to the middle…that's where the enemy will be." The tiny fox leapt through the maze, dashing back and forth until she disappeared into the depths of the web. Yumi closed her eyes, letting Shiro guide her vision.

It was dark, the gauzy web diluting the faint sunlight like a smokescreen. Even with Shiro's night vision, it was difficult to make out what they were seeing. There, Yumi thought with satisfaction. She was right after all.

Shiro had found the weaver of the web, the one they had been chasing. It was suspended by its webs, hanging from the trees with limbs outstretched like a torture victim. The threads came from its body, like a wave of tiny tentacles. It was a bizarre sight.

"Shall I attack?" Shiro said mentally. Yumi nearly gave her agreement, but something stopped her. Something here just wasn't right. The spider-weaver-thing had no life force – it was like a piece of clothing someone had discarded.

Suddenly, her radio buzzed. "Get out of there, Yumi!" Shikamaru yelled faintly. "This thing is a trap!" Yumi whispered under her breath, letting Shiro leave. How was she supposed to get out of this one?

Shikamaru continued talking. "Make as many shadow clones as you can, and have them run around, disrupting the chakra threads. Use them to clear a path and escape! The real enemy isn't there!"

"Roger," she replied grimly. This wasn't going to be easy. The clones would only bend the threads aside for a second, leaving her precious little time to get out of the spider nest. She looked up, noting the positions of the strings above her head. She calculated the time and speed needed, and summoned up her chakra. "Kage bunshin no Jutsu!" she cried, and ten clones popped into view. She panted, exhausted, and each clone darted in a different direction. Everything happened as if in slow motion. As each clone touched a thread, it bent ever so slightly as it absorbed her chakra. For the smallest fraction of a second, a tiny path clear of threads was visible. With her last burst of strength, she leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the wriggling threads.

Yumi landed on the ground, gasping for breath. Her chakra was nearly depleted. She had to find the others!

"Shikamaru?" she called.

"I'm here," he replied. "You got out okay?"

"Yeah," she panted. "Where are the others?"

He swore loudly. "I've tried contacting them. Besides Hinata and Sakura, none of them have answered. We'll have to assume they've been caught."

Shit, Yumi thought. "What do we do?"

"I'll take over as commander, if you don't mind. Meet us at the tree we separated at. You might want to summon your kitsune again. They've been most useful." With that, he disconnected.

Yumi leaned against a tree, clutching her sides. It felt as if someone had punched her several times from the inside. She knew it wasn't a physical wound, but nonetheless it still hurt like hell. She shuddered. If she had attacked, or if Shikamaru had warned her a second too late, she would have been captured like the others.

First Gaara-sama…now Temari-senpai and Kankuro-senpai…she thought miserably. She shook her head. Stop thinking about it! She reprimanded herself. Be strong!

She ran in the direction of their meeting spot, hoping for some answers.

**Do you want to know what happens next? then click that review button and I will crank out some more! pretty please! -Lumi**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello and sorry for the (relatively) long wait. I've had a rough week. Anyhow, it's my birthday this week! Right before Valentine's day. Speaking of Valentine's day...do something special for someone you love...everyone needs some love now and then, right? Have fun reading, and please review! -Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter 10**

Shikamaru leaned against a tree, bent over with his fingers touching to form a circle. He was thinking deeply. Damn, he cursed silently. They had rushed in foolishly and now they were paying for it. This enemy wasn't alive – not in the normal sense anyhow. His thoughts went back to Hidan, the member of Akatsuki who refused to die. He felt a pang of pain in his chest as he remembered his beloved sensei's death. Was this situation going to end up the same way?

Not if you come up with a plan, he reminded himself. He closed his eyes, scrunching up his brows. Hidan was probably still alive, but he had managed to trap him and seal him underground. They would have to incapacitate this enemy similarly, but it would be difficult – this enemy didn't have a solid form.

No, that was wrong. Even if it was immortal, it had to have a main body somewhere. But how did it split apart? He took a stick, and scratched a few drawings on the bark of the tree. I'll need any info I can get from Hinata and the others, he decided.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted. The sound of a person approaching startled him.

"Who's there?" he said quietly. Hinata emerged, and behind her came Sakura. Both looked weary but alert.

"H-hello, Shikamaru-kun," Hinata stuttered. Her voice was shy, but her Byakugan was fully activated. "W-where are the others?"

"They should be coming," he muttered. "Can't you see them with your eyes?"

She shook her head. "We are too far apart. My eyesight only goes so far and – oh, wait, Yumi-chan is coming. And Kankuro…but he's wounded."

Yumi burst into the scene, supporting Kankuro as they ran. Blood flowed from several deep gashes in his right arm. He appeared more dazed than hurt, though, which was a good sign.

"Set him down here, Yumi-chan," Sakura commanded. "I'll heal his arm." Yumi nodded and did as she was told. Kankuro groaned, and his eyes shifted from one person's face to another.

"What's wrong with him?" Shikamaru asked.

"It's nothing serious…his muscles have been severed in places along his arm, but I can fix that. But his chakra flow is what has me concerned." She frowned in frustration.

"Genjutsu?"

"Seems like it…but whatever casting it is still doing it. I'm trying to nullify it but at the same time, it's trying to take over. Kind of like how a stinger from a bee keeps pumping in poison until you remove it."

Kankuro muttered something. "Got…thing…take it." He sluggishly reached for his jacket and pulled it aside, revealing a macabre sight.

It was a severed arm, still twitching its fingers. It was blackened with old blood and chakra threads wrapped around it, twisting their tendrils around Kankuro's skin.

"So that's the 'stinger,'" Shikamaru said grimly. Sakura raised a hand to sever it, but he stopped her. "Don't touch it, Sakura." He thought for a moment. "Alright," he said. "focus your chakra into the blade of a kunai. That should cut through."

Sure enough, it worked. Sakura pinned the arm down, sealing it so it couldn't move. Kankuro breathed a sigh of relief.

"Damn, getting that friggin' arm sure wasn't easy," he grunted. "What the hell is it, anyway?"

"Where did you get this?" Shikamaru asked, but he already knew the answer.

"Where else? In the middle of one of those chakra spider-nests. I used my own chakra threads to manipulate the strands, and made it into the middle before one of them got me. I got out, luckily."

Shikamaru looked closely at the hand. "That son of a bitch," he swore. "So he cut off his own body parts as bait. What kind of people are they?" He shuddered on the inside, remembering the way Hidan had cut himself apart. The world was full of all kinds of crazy. He narrowed his eyes, remembering Kankuro's wounds. They weren't caused by chakra threads…the ones they had encountered didn't affect anyone physically. He examined the arm. "I see," he said finally.

"What is it?" Yumi asked.

"There are two types of thread. One is the kind that we have all seen, the chakra type that casts genjustsu. But there's another." He reached down gingerly and removed a single clear string from the arm. The shinobi gathered for a closer look. It was next to invisible, even when seen up close. "I'm guessing that once someone is trapped in the genjutsu and immobile, the enemy moves this second kind of thread in to finish them off." He pushed the string against a branch, and with a neat 'snick' the thick wood was severed.

"I didn't even notice," Kankuro muttered.

"The enemy probably noticed there's eight of us, and made eight traps. He was clever enough to split them far enough apart so we'd lose contact. But you've probably come to the same conclusion as me; just as each nest was controlled by a separate body part, all these nests are controlled by one main component." He left out the fact that the 'component' was probably the horribly maimed remnants of a body, but everyone knew it without him saying.

"How are we going to find it?" Sakura asked.

Shikamaru stood up. "Didn't you find if weird that the chakra paths we followed all split in completely different directions?" He gestured to the picture he scratched out on the wood. "According to the info you gave me before you lost contact, the paths you followed were fairly straight. Fishy, to say the least. But the end result was that we were all separated and arranged in a very large circle formation." The group nodded, realization dawning on them. "The easiest place from which to control all the, erm, body parts, would be from the middle. And that is exactly where we are." He pointed at a small lake down on the ground. "They knew we might be tracking them by scent, so this would be the perfect place to wash away any scents and hide. I don't know how they suppressed their chakra, but it's not unheard of."

"Suppressing their chakra…it's possible," Sakura murmured. "I'm going to dissect this arm. It's too dangerous to leave it here or bring it with us, but it could hold valuable information." Shikamaru nodded his assent. She knelt down with a blade in her hand, ready to make the first cut. The arm seemed to sense its predicament and writhed in anguish.

Suddenly, it twisted and morphed until it changed form. The shinobi jumped back in surprise. It turned black and shadowy and legs sprouted from its body. It became a spindly black spider the size of a large dog. Sakura retreated in surprise and disgust. It wriggled and slashed the seal with a sharp leg and darted into the shadows.

"Kill it!" Shikamaru cried. But it spat out threads and the shinobi had to leap aside and dodge, and it nimbly evaded the kunais thrown its way. "Damn," Shikamaru swore. "So that's how he manipulates his body. It was gathering info from us. We essentially brought the arm back to its owner. Hinata, use your Byakugan. We're following that son of a bitch."

"Roger," she said. Her eyes darted around, following the black blur. It melted into the shadows as if it were a liquid, and trickled into the river. "You were right," she said. "I didn't see it before, but the chakra is reacting now. The enemy is twenty feet below ground, under the river."

"Alright, let's go," Kankuro grunted. The others nodded, but suddenly they were interrupted.

Three figures stumbled jerkily into view. One was tall, with dirty blond hair tied into several pigtails. One was black-haired with remarkably thick eyebrows. The last one had blond hair and blue eyes, and whiskers on his cheeks. Their expressions were dull and they moved like puppets.

"Lee-kun? Naruto?" Sakura said in shock.

"Temari?!" Kankuro exclaimed. She did not reply. She reached behind her, and grabbed her enormous fan, and moved to attack.

"Shit," Shikamaru said under his breath. Faint blue lines wrapped around their bodies, and the near invisible strings they dangled from glinted as they moved. They had been caught by the threads.

**Enter ominous music. Oh no! hehe...what will happen next? Leave a review for me...I'll consider it a birthday gift! -Lumi**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for the long wait, guys. Here is another chapter for ya. How was everyone's valentine's day? Mine was...lonely...well, not exactly. I'm single ( and ready to mingle, haha ) so I spent the day at home eating whipped cream like a boss with my sister...oh, the joys of whipped cream. You could almost hear Radiohead's Creep playing quietly in the background. Okay, enough self pity. Here is the chapter. -Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto. **

**Chapter 11**

Naruto, Lee, and Temari hovered towards them, their limbs jerking like a doll's. Their eyes were glazed over, and if it weren't for the faint gasps of their breaths, Yumi wouldn't have even guessed they were alive.

"Temari-senpai," she muttered, with gritted teeth. "Why isn't she answering?" Then she saw why; faint threads had laced themselves around their necks, cutting deep into their flesh. They gasped for air like goldfish – the string was literally choking them. They didn't even have enough oxygen to stay conscious. And if that weren't bad enough, one sudden move from them and their heads would be severed.

At least they can't move quickly, she thought. But it was as if the enemy had read her thoughts. Immediately, they swung up into the air, limbs flailing. Lee dropped like a stone, one leg outstretched. The shinobi barely dodged, and his leg missed them, cracking a tree cleanly in two.

Damn, those Leaf ninja are certainly strong. She heard the telltale swoosh of Temari's fan, and quickly ducked. A wind, sharp as a blade, swung inches above her head, slicing off several long hairs. She leapt from side to side, avoiding more wind-blades. Some of the others weren't so lucky.

"Agh!" Kankuro uttered. He wasn't able to move as fast in his weakened state. A large gash was torn on his cheek. Hinata was wounded on one leg.

"Damn it, we don't have time for this," Shikamaru cursed. "Kankuro, Sakura, I'm going to need your help with this." He bent down, his shadow casting out tendrils. He lashed them out at the ragdoll figures, but they quickly swooped out of reach, dangling in one spot just long enough to taunt him. "Sakura! Slow them down!"

Sakura pulled back her fist and slammed it down, and with a resounding crack, the ground split. Trees tumbled down, and Naruto, Lee, and Temari were jostled to and fro as the strings were shaken. Shikamaru's shadow wove like a serpent, and finally connected with their shadows.

"Shadow Mimic successful," he muttered. Their figures were frozen as if time had stopped, but the strings still pulled them up and down like a frozen fish on a line. At least they couldn't attack anymore…but their lives were still in danger. "Kankuro! I can't hold them for long. Attach chakra strings to their limbs!"

"Alright," he muttered. He winced, clutching the spot where the severed arm had wounded him. He swept his arms, and blue threads rushed from them, attaching themselves to the limbs of Naruto and the others. "Got them," he said, with arms outstretched.

"Hinata, you know what to do. You're the only one who can see the strings," Shikamaru said, letting his shadow jutsu drop.

"Byakugan," she said under her breath. She leapt into the air, her chakra focused to sharp points on each hand. She swooped gracefully from one person to another, her movements a blur. Like stones, they plummeted towards earth once the strings had been severed.

But it wasn't over. The severed strings moved like the tentacles of a sea creature, reaching for their lost prey. Yumi knew what to do. She formed a few seals with her hands, and inhaled deeply.

"Chakra Fire!" she cried, and a burst of blue flames poured from her mouth. They attacked the strings, incinerating them on contact.

"Good one, Yumi," Shikamaru murmured. The strings had been destroyed, for now at least. But there was no chance of Naruto, Lee, and Temari regaining consciousness until the chakra threads had been destroyed as well. And the only way to cut them for sure and to destroy the genjutsu that trapped them was to take out the source – the hiding enemy. "Kankuro, can you keep them immobile?"

"Yeah," he grunted. "No problem. Humans are way easier to control than my puppets."

"Alright then. I'm not a medic, but I'll stay here and tend to his wounds. The rest of you are going after this asshole, whoever he is."

"Is it really a good idea to go with just three people?" Sakura asked dubiously.

"I've seen through his strategy. He isn't a close combat fighter…once you evade his traps, taking him out will be simple compared to what we've done so far. The fact that he's pulled out his trump card shows that he feels vulnerable. Remember, he's weakened. Hinata and Yumi and you have abilities suited to combating his techniques. I can stay behind and manage his living puppets."

"Fine. Hinata, tell me where this bastard is." Hinata focused her eyes, and pointed a few yards downstream.

"The chakra is growing clearer," she said in surprise. "Either the enemy has become too weak to hide it, or whatever method they used is wearing off." She blinked. "And also...

Sakura didn't wait for a reply. She was too infuriated at seeing her comrades incapacitated and manipulated. She jumped up, and smashed her fists down. With a resounding boom, the river was split as water rushed in all directions. The ground quaked and cracked, and a narrow tunnel was revealed.

Yumi started to run towards the entrance, but Hinata held her back. "Don't," she said softly. "There's threads everywhere."

She was tempted to use fire and just burn the whole thing down, but she clenched her fists and held herself back. This strange individual was the only clue they had right now to the whereabouts of the Kazekage…of Gaara.

"I'll cut through them," Hinata said quietly. "Burn them as fast as you can, but don't use too much fire." She nodded. Hinata bent her knees, holding out her palms. Chakra blazed around her fingertips. She spun through the air, her long dark hair flying. Yumi's eyes darted back and forth, following her swift movements.

There. She sent out a tiny stream of flame as if she were blowing a fiery kiss. She swept her hands, making it dance like a serpent. It attacked the string, incinerating it. Another one. The flaming serpent split in two, and they danced through the air. The strings were their prey, and they pounced on them under her command. Another. She was surrounded by blue flame, and her movements were liquid and graceful.

The three of them moved like dancers, completely in unison. Hinata cut, Yumi burned, and Sakura cleared the path. Their movements were too fast for a normal human's eye to follow.

"Stop!" The three of them leapt back just in time. A swarm of shadowy malformed beasts burst out. They looked just like the shape the severed arm had taken. Damn it, Yumi thought. She blew flame at them, but they shook it off like water. Hinata and Sakura sliced them into pieces, but they only reformed. Strangely enough, they didn't seem particularly harmful. Their movements were wobbly and desperate, and they didn't even have enough strength to cast out their deadly webs.

And then they froze in place. "Gotcha," a voice muttered. Yumi looked back. Shikamaru stood from the tree, his shadow split into four. "No matter what those things are, they still cast a shadow. I can hold them."

"Good job, Shikamaru-kun," Hinata said. Sakura bent down, weaving through the frozen shadow creatures. She cleared away the last of the rubble.

Lying there was the enemy… or at least, what was left of the enemy. A frail figure covered with a tattered black cloak laid prone in the dirt, breathing shallowly. There was little more than a torso left, black blood pouring and soaking into the dirt. But he was alive. That was all that mattered.

"You cut off your own body parts to fight," Yumi said in shock. "Why?!" She knelt down, and reached out a hand and slowly lifted the hood. She breathed a breath of shock.

The face was mutilated beyond repair, the eyes gouged out and puffy purple scars crisscrossing nearly every inch of skin. The creature began to laugh, and the voice was unmistakably female.

"I am only a tiny splinter of a greater work! I will tell you nothing! My purpose was to lead you astray, and I have done that. I will congratulate you; I could not kill you. I did not complete my second objective, but that was expected." Suddenly the head leered up, the neck craning from the ground. "You sound like a pretty little girlie, mm? I was once like that. I used to preen myself and bask in compliments. But I found something greater…something beyond my understanding. True beauty can be attained only through knowledge. Now I am truly beautiful." With a final gurgling laugh, the head fell back and the breaths ceased. She was dead.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello readers. Sorry I've been behind lately...life is catching up with me. Anyhow, here's a short chapter. Enjoy! -Lumi**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Chapter**** 12**

Yumi backed away from the mangled corpse in disgust. What kind of enemy were they dealing with? It was some crazy cult, that was for sure. She felt a pang of fear in her chest as she thought of Gaara. There was no telling what horrible things they could be doing. Yumi clenched her fist angrily.

"What do we do now?" Hinata asked in a whisper.

Shikamaru sighed. "It looks like their diversion worked. We don't have a trail to follow anymore… We might as well return to the villages. Kankuro and the others need to be looked at, and I have a feeling we should analyze what's left of the enemy before we contemplate fighting the rest." He knelt down, peering at the tattered remains. "I've never seen a jutsu like this before…they're probably developing human weapons from the look of it. Brainwashing people to fight like this…" he shook his head. "Hinata, I trust there aren't any hidden explosives in the body?"

"No," she replied.

"Huh. I would have expected a trap or two. Well, nonetheless, we'll be careful." Sakura bent down and covered the body with cloth and sealed it.

The ninjas turned to leave the pit behind, except for Yumi. She stood there, her head filled with anger. Damn it. This was all a waste of time…how could I have fallen for their diversion so easily?

Sakura placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you're worried about Gaara-sama," she said, "but this wasn't a complete waste of effort. The enemy left behind valuable information that we can use. We'll save the kidnapped shinobi, Yumi-chan."

She nodded, and followed the group.

"Hey! What the hell happened? Where's the enemy?!" Naruto awoke yelling loudly. "I'm gonna kick their ass!" He jumped to his feet, but wobbled and fell over.

"So you're finally awake," Kankuro said grumpily. He was leaning against a tree, and Lee and Temari were by his side, looking none too happy.

"Huh? Where's everyone else?" Naruto asked woozily. "I'm gonna go after them."

Kankuro sighed. "You never change."

"Alright then, stay grumpy. Lee! Tell me what's going on!"

"We were knocked out and controlled by the enemy," Lee said with an unhappy expression. "Kankuro-senpai told me how their jutsu worked. Do you remember being caught in a web?"

"Huh? Oh yeah…"

"Even my power of youth was no match for it. Any taijutsu is no match for it, for that matter. My techniques were useless."

Naruto scratched his head. An invisible light bulb seemed to flicker on. "That's right," he muttered. "That stupid web thing was in the way, and when I tried to blast it, I got tangled. I don't really remember anything after that."

"We were too rash," Temari said, looking away with her arms folded. "That was our mistake. I didn't think things through, and just smashed my way right into the trap. Stupid."

"What would Gai-sensei have done?" Lee muttered to himself. His mouth was stretched in an almost comical frown. There was nothing comical about any of this, though.

"Shikamaru…what has the enemy told you?" Kankuro said into his radio.

"Nothing," he replied. "You might as well all come here. The enemy is dead."

"What?!" the ninjas all exclaimed.

"Why did you kill him?!" Temari nearly shouted. "He was our only lead!"

"Suicide," Shikamaru clarified. "Well, something akin to that. And it was a woman. Her jutsus literally tore her apart."

"Shit," Naruto exclaimed, and pounded his fist into the tree. The wood cracked and splintered. His teeth were gritted in anger and frustration. "What do we do now? We have to go after them!"

"I wish that was possible, but frankly, it's not."

"We'll meet up with you, and then we'll talk," Temari said through pursed lips.

Temari's group wove through a few feet of foliage, careful where they stepped…except for Naruto. He blundered on as usual. But there weren't any traps.

"Good. You're here," Yumi said softly, leaning against the trunk of a gnarled tree. The group stared at the bulging sack – no, body-bag, that Sakura carried. She wore a clear expression of disgust.

"You're bringing that – that thing?" Naruto asked. "That's kind of disgusting and weird."

"It's not like I want to, dumbass," Sakura replied. "But this body has vital information and data we can use."

"We are going after them, right?" Naruto asked.

Shikamaru sighed audibly. "Like I said, we can't," Shikamaru said.

Temari slammed her fist into the tree bark inches from Shikamaru's face. "What do you suggest we do then?"

He glanced at her fist and swallowed before answering. "The trail's gone cold. There's no way we can follow them now. All we can do is take the information we've gathered and formulate a new plan." Kankuro, Lee, Naruto, and Temari looked more than a little disgruntled, but didn't argue. Temari clenched her fists so hard the skin over her knuckles was stretched white.

"Fine," she finally muttered. "We'll head back to the village of the Sand."


End file.
